Oregon Live reports[1] that the Washington Country’s Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) is taking applications for an upcoming Citizens’ Academy that’s set to start this fall.

[2]

Photo: By SGT141via Wikimedia Commons.

According to the Ore. state website[3], the Citizens’ Academy is a “continuing effort to help develop citizen awareness and understanding of the role of law enforcement in our communities.”

The Citizens’ Academy offers its students 55 hours of training, both in the classroom and hands on, and provides special insight into the inner workings of the Sheriff’s office.

The website describes the activities that students get to participate in, including using police equipment, participating in jail activities, and several role-play scenarios.

“Some of the topics that we include are Officer Selection and Training, various duties within the Sheriff’s Office, Jail Operations, Patrol Operations, Investigations, Tactical Operations, Canine Team, Traffic Safety Unit, Use of Firearms, Narcotic Trends, Judicial System, Crime Scene Investigations, and Crime Prevention, says the site.”

It’s interesting to note that the WCSO has a reputation for being particularly harsh, especially after Infowars broke the story[4] exposing the sheriff’s office for forcibly catheterizing bicyclist Jason Barnes, who was stopped and arrested for riding his bicycle standing up.

“The invasion felt nothing short of rape. I screamed for an attorney and an impartial observer and received none. The pain was excruciating, and the procedure was humiliating,” said Barnes.

When asked for comment, the WCSO responded, “Catheterizing a suspect to seize evidence is very rare, though in this case was done because in addition to strong probable cause that Mr. Barnes committed a crime, Mr. Barnes had multiple prior DUI arrests and his ongoing public intoxication was putting himself and the public in danger – deputies encountered him about one to two week’s earlier apparently passed out next to his bike, at night, in the middle of the street. During that encounter deputies simply took him home.”

With this training program, the WCSO hopes to continue the effort of helping citizens develop a better awareness and understanding of their local police department.

[7] All across America, sheriffs are taking a stand against Obama’s attempts to gut the Bill of Rights: http://www.prisonplanet.com/all-across-america-sheriffs-are-taking-a-stand-against-obamas-attempts-to-gut-the-bill-of-rights.html

[8] Colorado sheriffs sue the state over new gun control laws: http://www.prisonplanet.com/colorado-sheriffs-sue-the-state-over-new-gun-control-laws.html